Challenges of Rural Entrepreneurship in the Cumilla District of Bangladesh
Rural entrepreneurship is a crucial driver of both local and national economic development, often regarded as a key strategy for alleviating unemployment and boosting GDP growth. In recent years, governments have intensified efforts to promote entrepreneurship to address these economic challenges. D...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Open University of Sri Lanka
2025-06-01
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| Series: | OUSL Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://ouslj.sljol.info/articles/7685/files/68886df3c86af.pdf |
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| author | Md. Nahid Mia S. M. Mujahidul Islam Md. Sahidul Islam |
| author_facet | Md. Nahid Mia S. M. Mujahidul Islam Md. Sahidul Islam |
| author_sort | Md. Nahid Mia |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Rural entrepreneurship is a crucial driver of both local and national economic development, often regarded as a key strategy for alleviating unemployment and boosting GDP growth. In recent years, governments have intensified efforts to promote entrepreneurship to address these economic challenges. Despite such initiatives, rural entrepreneurs continue to confront substantial obstacles that hinder their growth and sustainability. This study investigated the challenges faced by rural entrepreneurs in the Cumilla District of Bangladesh, focusing specifically on four agro-based sectors: poultry, nursery, dairy, and fisheries. Primary data were collected from 80 entrepreneurs equally distributed across these sectors, using a structured questionnaire with closed-ended questions measured on a five-point Likert scale. To complement this, secondary sources including academic literature, reports, and media publications were reviewed to establish a comprehensive theoretical framework on rural entrepreneurship. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software, employing descriptive statistics and inferential tests such as means, standard deviations, and t-tests. Additionally, sectoral comparisons were conducted to identify disparities in access to resources and support mechanisms. The study revealed that rural entrepreneurs in Cumilla face critical challenges, including limited capital formation, prohibitive interest rates, inadequate training opportunities for skill and managerial development, and restricted market access and knowledge. However, a key limitation lies in the narrow sectoral focus, as rural entrepreneurship encompasses a far broader spectrum of activities beyond the four agro-based sectors examined. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e7ab3726502f4255b25fd1cc79177e8e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1800-3621 2550-2816 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | The Open University of Sri Lanka |
| record_format | Article |
| series | OUSL Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-e7ab3726502f4255b25fd1cc79177e8e2025-08-22T08:36:14ZengThe Open University of Sri LankaOUSL Journal1800-36212550-28162025-06-012012554https://doi.org/10.4038/ouslj.v20i1.7685Challenges of Rural Entrepreneurship in the Cumilla District of BangladeshMd. Nahid Mia0https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5660-2186S. M. Mujahidul Islam1Md. Sahidul Islam2Department of Management Studies, National University, BangladeshDepartment of Marketing, National University, BangladeshResearch Fellow, National University, BangladeshRural entrepreneurship is a crucial driver of both local and national economic development, often regarded as a key strategy for alleviating unemployment and boosting GDP growth. In recent years, governments have intensified efforts to promote entrepreneurship to address these economic challenges. Despite such initiatives, rural entrepreneurs continue to confront substantial obstacles that hinder their growth and sustainability. This study investigated the challenges faced by rural entrepreneurs in the Cumilla District of Bangladesh, focusing specifically on four agro-based sectors: poultry, nursery, dairy, and fisheries. Primary data were collected from 80 entrepreneurs equally distributed across these sectors, using a structured questionnaire with closed-ended questions measured on a five-point Likert scale. To complement this, secondary sources including academic literature, reports, and media publications were reviewed to establish a comprehensive theoretical framework on rural entrepreneurship. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software, employing descriptive statistics and inferential tests such as means, standard deviations, and t-tests. Additionally, sectoral comparisons were conducted to identify disparities in access to resources and support mechanisms. The study revealed that rural entrepreneurs in Cumilla face critical challenges, including limited capital formation, prohibitive interest rates, inadequate training opportunities for skill and managerial development, and restricted market access and knowledge. However, a key limitation lies in the narrow sectoral focus, as rural entrepreneurship encompasses a far broader spectrum of activities beyond the four agro-based sectors examined.https://ouslj.sljol.info/articles/7685/files/68886df3c86af.pdfentrepreneurentrepreneurshiprural entrepreneurchallenges of rural entrepreneurs |
| spellingShingle | Md. Nahid Mia S. M. Mujahidul Islam Md. Sahidul Islam Challenges of Rural Entrepreneurship in the Cumilla District of Bangladesh OUSL Journal entrepreneur entrepreneurship rural entrepreneur challenges of rural entrepreneurs |
| title | Challenges of Rural Entrepreneurship in the Cumilla District of Bangladesh |
| title_full | Challenges of Rural Entrepreneurship in the Cumilla District of Bangladesh |
| title_fullStr | Challenges of Rural Entrepreneurship in the Cumilla District of Bangladesh |
| title_full_unstemmed | Challenges of Rural Entrepreneurship in the Cumilla District of Bangladesh |
| title_short | Challenges of Rural Entrepreneurship in the Cumilla District of Bangladesh |
| title_sort | challenges of rural entrepreneurship in the cumilla district of bangladesh |
| topic | entrepreneur entrepreneurship rural entrepreneur challenges of rural entrepreneurs |
| url | https://ouslj.sljol.info/articles/7685/files/68886df3c86af.pdf |
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